Britons won’t put a premium on specialist and premium teas as the UK lurches away from its traditional brew.

The British have always taken great pride in their tea drinking, but in a nation that gulps 165 million cups every single day, a strange and subtle phenomenon appears to be slowly taking hold.

Sales of the famous traditional blends such as Tetley, PG Tips and Typhoo, with the exception of Yorkshire Tea, have remained static for several years. Evidence is growing to suggest that shoppers are becoming fussier about their tea choices as more and more people are opting to toss specialist and premium teas into their supermarket trolleys.

Consumer awareness surrounding the benefits of specialist herbal teas has been steadily growing at the same rate as people’s inclination to want to try new out new varieties in the last few years. It seems that these trends can be put down to a nation that is now much more conscious about the health benefits of tea, coupled with a desire to add variety (and spices!) to their daily routine.

With supermarkets rushing to secure deals with premium tea suppliers and the likes of Tata (owners of Tetley) launching its green tea in six different flavours this year, it seems specialist teas such as Rooibos, Chai and Green tea are fast becoming big business.

Leading global market research company Mintel has reported a trend towards ‘more exotic and fruity flavours, coupled with a tendency for a younger generation of tea drinkers to go caffeine-free. Foodnavigator states that Mintel’s findings suggest that consumers have been trading up towards premium and speciality teas and the expense of the traditional caffeinated black varieties. The report goes on to say that only 27% of tea sales are currently of the specialist / premium variety. White and green tea together with other exotic fruit tea are set to increase this market share in the years to come.

Charbrew's Chocolate Orange Rooibos for example, is rapidly becoming a bestselling, popular alternative to caffeinated tea for our discerning customers who choose to cut out caffeine in the hours before bedtime. Charbrew tea drinker Patrick Phillips opts to make himself a Rooibos at night because it is naturally sweet “It’s sweet, caffeine-free and helps me mentally prepare for restful sleep – I know people who wake up in the middle of the night and makes themselves a strong brew of it”

There certainly appears to have been a shift in the British consciousness with regards to specialist teas. People are becoming much more calculated with their choices and direct health benefits aside, drinkers are attuning themselves to the calming, energising, soothing and relaxing properties of alternative teas.

The UK’s love affair with tea is shifting away from family value boxes of teabags in most cases, and is becoming more about the ritualistic tea experience. Charbrew brands such as Chocolate Orange Rooibos, Strawberry & Kiwi and Pineapple & Vanilla are offering retailers a stronger depth of range, thus increasing consumer sales and profitably.

Adam Soliman, Director at Charbrew comments 'At Charbrew we are introducing an exotic twist to the traditional tea industry with our range of completely unique blends. In the the last two years there’s been strong market evidence to suggest that UK consumers are becoming increasingly willing to explore new flavours and pay more for the average cup of tea. As this trend continues to gather pace we will continue to explore more unique speciality offerings. Retailers who don't take action now are simply going to get left behind''